Golf putter with wheel-supported head



Nov. 30, 1965 J. A. FINE 3,220,730

GOLF PUTTER WITH WHEEL-SUPPORTED HEAD Filed June 27, 1962 INVENTOR.

ATWR/VEY United States Patent 3,220,730 GGLF PUTTER WITH WHEEL-SUPPGRTED HEAD James A. Fine, 1974f) Lexington, Detroit .0, Mich.

Fiied lane 27, 1962, Ser. No. 205,796 1 Qlairn. (Cl. 273-77) This invention relates to a golf putter characterized by means facilitating aligning and stroking the putter head for travel along a preselected direction or path in relation to a golf ball and a cup on a green constituting the target therefor.

While golf putters in use today and heretofore known present an array of forms, lengths, weights and the like depending upon the individaul desires of golfers, it may be observed generally that all such putters comprise a putting head or blade including a surface designed for directly stroking and propelling a golf ball toward a golf cup, and a handle or shaft upstanding from the head for grasping by the golfer in order to swing the head to stroke the golf ball. In using putters of this general type, it is not at all uncommon for a golfer to make rather elaborate preparations for his putt. For example, in addition to surveying the green as to its general condition and to note undulations therein between the cup and his lie, a golfer will ordinarily crouch low or even assume a kneeling position to sight between his lie and the golf cup to determine the path which the ball should travel to drop in the cup and, hence, the direction in which he should stroke the ball to propel it along such preselected path. After making these preparations, the golfer will then stand upright and address the ball. While addressing the ball, the golfer of course attempts to mentally translate the results of his survey of the green, and particularly the sighting he has made between the ball and the cup, to his upright position in an effort to swing and stroke the putter head or blade against the ball in a direction to propel the latter along the preselected path.

As will be apparent, it is a relatively easy matter to sight and therefore aim the ball toward the cup while crouching or kneeling as aforementioned, but a completely different and more complicated matter to retain this sight while stroking the putter head from an upstanding position. Thus, the handle or shaft of the putter may be gripped wrong or, in other words, twisted just enough to misalign the direction of stroke of the putter head or blade relative to the desired preselected path of the ball or, even if the putter head is properly aligned with the preselected path for the ball while addressing the latter, the golfers swing or putting stroke introduces another variable which often tends to misalign the direction of stroke relative to the desired preselected path of propulsion of the ball.

It is, therefore, a principal object and feature of this invention to provide a golf putter particularly characterized by means facilitating alignment and stroking of the head of the device along an axis or path for impact with and propulsion of the ball along a desired preselected path of travel toward the cup.

It is yet another object and feature of this invention to provide a golf putter comprising a putter head having a putting surface for stroking along a preselected path or axis for impact with a ball, means for supporting the head on a playing surface for travel along the aforementioned path or axis, and a handle or shaft means connected to and projecting from the head in a predetermined position relative to said head to align and stroke the latter along said path or axis.

It is yet another object and feature of this invention to provide a golf putter of the type aforementioned com prising a putter head, wheeled means supporting the head on a playing surface for travel along a preselected axis "Ice or path for impact with a ball, and a handle or shaft connected to and projecting from the head in a plane containing said axis or path and substantially perpendicular to the palying surface, whereby the handle or shaft may be utilized for aligning the axis or path of travel of the putter head for impact with the ball in accordance with a desired preselected path of travel of the latter, and .a simple reciprocable movement may be imparted to the putter head through the handle or shaft immediately following such alignment for stroking the ball.

It is yet another object and feature of this invention to provide a golf putter of the type aforementioned further characterized by the fact that at least a major portion of the aforementioned handle or shaft extends from the putter head substantially parallel and relatively close to the axis or path of travel of the latter along the playing surface, thereby to further facilitate alignment of the path of travel of the putter head for impact with the ball and relative to the preselected path of travel of the latter to a golf cup.

These and other objects, features and advantages will become more apparent hereinafter as the description thereof proceeds, and in which reference is made to the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a golf putter illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, and a position the putter may assume when addressing a golf ball and prior to stroking it;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally indicates a golf putter comprising a substantially solid cylindrical metal putting head or body 12 having a central longitudinal axis therethrough terminating at one end thereof in a plane putting surface 14 shown as being disposed perpendicular to the aforementioned axis of the head or body for impact with a golf ball 16. A hollow sleeve-like axle 18 extends tranversely through the head or body 12 intermediate the ends of the latter, and a pair of wheels 20 are respectively suitably mounted for rotation on opposite ends of the axle immediately to either side of the head or body as by the washers 22 and fasteners 24 threaded into each end of the axle.

A shaft or handle 26 including the usual hand grip 28 at one end thereof has its other end 30 suitably secured centrally to the end of the head or body 12 opposite the putting surface 14. A neck portion 32 of the handle or shaft between its ends is bowed as indicated in FIGURE 1 immediately adjacent the head or body 12 so as to dispose the major portion or length of the shaft or handle in a substantially horizontal plane above and parallel to a similar horizontal plane through the central longitudinal axis of the head or body 12. Furthermore, the handle or shaft projects from the head or body 12 in a plane containing the central longitudinal axis of the head or body 12 and substantially perpendicular to the ground.

In operation, the putter 10 may be disposed as illustrated in FIGURE 1 while the golfer addresses the ball 16 from a crouching or kneeling position after making his survey of the green. While so addressing the ball, and due to the fact that a major portion or length of the handle or shaft 26 is substantially parallel to and, most importantly, contained in a vertical plane containing the central longitudinal axis of the putter head or body 12, the golfer may sight along and align such portion of the handle or shaft through the ball in relation to the preselected or predetermined path of travel necessary for the ball to drop in the cup on the green. Such alignment of the handle or shaft necessarily results in similar alignment of the central longitudinal axis of the head or body 12 with the ball 16 to permit stroking the head or body along its axis and a path corresponding to the preselected path of travel for the ball. Immediately following this aligning process, and rather than returning to an upright position as is usual with conventional putters, the golfer need merely impart a reciprocable or pushing movement to the handle or shaft 26 at the hand grip 28 and substantially parallel to the ground resulting in the head or body 12 stroking through the ball along the presighted or aligned axis or path aforementioned, the center of putting surface 14 preferably striking substantially centrally of the ball.

At this juncture it should be noted that, although the heador body 12 has been described above as being a substantially solid cylindrical metal member, it may of course be made of other materials, in other shapes and be less than solid. In other words, the head or body may be partially hollow or otherwise formed with the object in mind of providing sufficient weight to the putter head to provide the necessary feel to the golfer according to his individual requirements. Furthermore, the head or body may take other shapes so long as it includes a putting surface 14 which is preoriented in a vertical plane with the major or sighting portion of the handle or shaft 26 aforedescribed.

In this regard, although the putting surface 14 has been illustrated and described as being in a plane perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the head or body 12, it will be readily apparent that such surface may, for example, be inclined forwardly or rearwardly relative to such axis to tend to hold a stroked ball on the surface of the ground or jump it slightly, respectively, although the handle or shaft 26 is reciprocated generally parallel to the ground as aforedescribed. Again, such a modification will ordinarily depend on the requirements of the individual golfer. On the other hand, with the putting surface 14 disposed as shown and described, the aforementioned construction permits the golfer to manually adjust the angle of impact of the putting surface with the ball merely by raising or lowering the handle or shaft 26 to incline the central longitudinal axis of the head or body below or above, respectively, a horizontal disposition thereof relative to the ground.

Furthermore, depending upon the weight of the putter head or body 12 and other portions of the putter assembly, the wheels 20 are selected of a suitable diameter and width to provide the necessary floatation and otherwise preferably dispose the central longitudinal axis of the head or body in substantial alignment with the center of the ball 16 with such axis parallel to the ground.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described, other forms will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it will be understood that the embodiment shown in the drawing and described above is merely for illustrative purposes, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claim which follows.

I claim:

A golf putter for stroking and propelling a golf ball along a golf green toward a golf hole, said putter comprising a substantially solid cylindrical putting head having a longitudinal central axis, a putting surface at one end of said head disposed substantially perpendicular to said axis, said axis passing through said putting surface and the latter being directly engageable with a golf ball to be stroked and propelled, an axle extending through said head between the upper and lower surfaces thereof and near said axis and extending beyond diametrically opposite sides of said head, a pair of wheels respectively rotatably mounted on opposite ends of said axle on opposite sides of said head and located entirely behind said putting surface, said wheels each having a diameter greater than the diameter of said cylindrical putting head and supporting the latter for travel along a preselected path on a golf green aligned with said axis, and a handle connected to and projecting from said head in a plane containing said axis and substantially perpendicular to the surface of a golf green for aligning and stroking said head along said path, a major portion of the length of said handle being substantially parallel to said axis.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,426,274 8/1947 Kramer 273168 X 2,433,496 12/1947 Von Pein 273129 2,474,723 6/1949 Boose 273129 2,567,313 9/1951 Bailey 273-129 2,626,808 1/1953 Abrams 273-l27 3,044,781 7/1962 Murphy 273162 X FOREIGN PATENTS 11,463 1902 Great Britain. 277,146 9/ 1927 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

JAMES W. LOVE, Examiner. 

